PlayStation App Detailed, Launches With PS4

Staying connected with your PlayStation friends will be easier than ever once this new generation of consoles gets rolling, as Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida explains the ins and out of the upcoming PlayStation App for iOS and Android.

Say it with me now, children: Finally! For the past, oh, six or so years now, PlayStation gamers have basically been begging for a way to keep up to date on their gaming console of choice while out and about. The PlayStation Vita offers the closest thing to just such an offering, but only if you picked up the 3G version or have a hotspot nearby. And, let's face it, not many folks out there decided to go the G route.

But even then, people don't want to carry around an extra device just to check in on their Friends' list, start downloads, etc. A PlayStation App is what's called for and, up until this point, there hasn't been an official one available. There are several workaround apps available and, while some of them allow you to easily check in on the PlayStation Blog, view your friends list and Trophies, none of them allow for proper communication or a robust suite of features.

That's where the PlayStation App comes in, finally allowing mobile users the option to take advantage of loads of PlayStation 4 features without needing to be in front of their television. Announced during the Tokyo Game Show, Sony's Shuhei Yoshida has made a trip back to the PS Blog to provide more details on the app and what type of services it will provide.

For starters, we now know that the app will be launching alongside the PlayStation 4 for free in mid-November. According to the announcement, the app will allow players to “stay in touch with friends, compare Trophies, view friends' activity and access the latest PlayStation Blog news.” You'll also be able to jump in and view your friends' live-streaming gameplay, just like on the PlayStation 4, and make purchases from the PlayStation Network that will automatically start downloading to your new console.

Message options include text and voice between mobile devices and a PlayStation 4.

“A friend on the PlayStation 4 can also send out an invitation for a multiplayer game, which you can then check on the App,” Yoshida explained.

The PlayStation App will also allow for second screen gameplay features. While many bigger developers will likely be producing their own second screen gaming apps, the Sony app will be open to smaller developers to include gameplay options within their own titles.

It's taken its sweet time in getting here, but it's nice to know that PlayStation will finally have a strong presence on the mobile scene. Players will now be able to take their PS4 lifestyle with them on the road, meaning will have fewer reasons than ever to actually pay attention to the world that's continuing on its merry way around us.